𝔸 𝔾𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕎𝕒𝕤 𝕆𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕖 𝕍.𝟚 💥𝔹𝕜𝔻𝕜💥

Chapter 53

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Resurgence of Death

IZUKU

When Katsuki's fingers brushed against Izuku's, it was like an electric current jolting through every nerve in his body. For one, fleeting moment, everything felt real, anchored. But then it was ripped away, and the emptiness left in its wake was suffocating.

Panic surged through Izuku's chest, sharp and all-encompassing, twisting his lungs into knots. His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat that drowned out reason. Time bent unnaturally, each second stretching into eternity before snapping back like a rubber band under too much tension.

And Katsuki was gone.

"KACCHAN!" The name ripped from Izuku's throat, raw and broken, tearing at his vocal cords like shrapnel. It echoed through the cavern, reverberating off the walls and swallowed by the mist, leaving only silence in its wake. His voice cracked, desperation clawing its way out of his chest as tears blurred his vision. The swirling fog clung to his cheeks, mingling with the hot trails of his tears, wrapping around him like a ghostly shroud.

He leaned dangerously over the railing, fingers gripping the cold, slick metal so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He strained against the mist, his emerald eyes darting wildly, searching for any sign, any flicker of Katsuki in the oppressive haze. But there was nothing.

He sank to his knees, his hands flying up to clutch at his hair, fingers tangling in the dark curls and pulling hard, almost ripping them out in his anguish. The world felt unreal, like he was caught in some cruel fever dream, like Odd Eye—

No. No, no, no. This wasn't happening. He's not gone. He can't be gone! Where is he?! Think, Izuku, think!

Frozen in place, his breathing erratic as his thoughts spiraled, crashing and colliding like waves in a storm. Fear tore at the edges of his already frayed mind, a relentless predator sinking its claws deeper with every passing second. The memory of his own helplessness burned, a white-hot brand searing into his soul. That damn restraint—the cursed thing that had kept him bound—he should've broken it. He should've been faster, stronger. He should've—

A faint splash broke through the silence, cutting through his chaotic thoughts like a shard of glass. His breath hitched, his chest tightening as his head snapped toward the sound. There, through the dissipating mist, he saw a crater filled with shimmering water, its surface rippling faintly.

Katsuki.

It wasn't a moment of thought but pure, unbridled instinct that drove him forward. Before he could hesitate, before doubt could seize him, Izuku threw himself from the railing. His body fell weightlessly, the air rushing past him before the impact of the water shattered his senses. Hot. Sharp. Unforgiving.

The crash disoriented him, his frail form trembling as the scolding water seeped through his torn clothes, dragging him deeper. Adrenaline and panic spurred him forward, his limbs moving before his brain could catch up. His eyes stung as he strained to see through the murky depths, the light above dim and distant when he saw him.

Katsuki's body floated eerily still, suspended just above the bottom of the crater. His ash-blond hair fanned out like a halo in the water, his face pale and serene in a way that made Izuku's stomach lurch violently. He reached out, trembling hands shaking as they made contact with Katsuki's limp body. The stillness was unbearable.

No! No, no, no, Kacchan, you're not allowed to do this! Move! Wake up! Please—

He pulled Katsuki close, cradling him against his chest as if he could shield him from the water, from the world, from death itself. Hold on, Kacchan. Just hold on. I'll get us out of this—I swear.